Find Quality Largemouth Bass Habitat and You'll Find the Bass

In general, ideal largemouth bass habitat is one with slow to
non-flowing water, water temperature from 80° to 90°F, an abundance of
aquatic vegetation, which provides a place for food and cover if
necessary, and water that is clear.

They're found in rivers, lakes and ponds, though lakes provide
preferred habitat. They gravitate to areas less than 20 feet deep. In
colder areas they also need water deep enough to allow them to over
winter. They seek areas filled with submergent vegetation, submerged
logs and brush as well as rocks. These types of cover and structure are
sought by largemouth bass from birth as they offer places to hide when
young and places from which to ambush prey when mature.

Good largemouth bass habitat must also have a food chain that
includes plant life within which plankton and small invertebrates like
crawfish and insects live. These provide the foods for small fishes and
other aquatics like frogs and waterdogs, upon which largemouth bass
feed.

Temperature

Northern strain largemouth bass will tolerate a wide range of
temperatures. They function best in water between 65° and 90°F, but they
are able to tolerate water that rises to the "low 90s" in the
southern states. In the South summer water norms will range between 87°
to 92°F which largemouth can tolerate, though "prolonged" exposure to
temperatures exceeding 95°F can kill them. Florida strain bass are
naturally conditioned to a higher average temperature and can at times
and for short periods venture into 100°F water.

In colder areas in the northern states, where there are many
natural lakes which may freeze over in winter, they can survive "near"
freezing temperatures. However, they will seek out deeper areas and are
there able to survive under ice for 5 to 6 months, so long as the oxygen
level doesn't decline below 5 or 6 ppm.

Just because largemouth bass prefer a specific temperature range
does "not" mean you will always find them there. They will inevitably go
where they must to find food and the temperature won't keep them from
doing so. Thus, largemouth will move from deeper, cooler water to
shallow warmer water in pursuit of food, then back deep again. Larger
bass engage in this behavior regularly while smaller bass tend to remain
in shallow, warmer water to feed and avoid predators.

Dissolved Oxygen

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is measured in parts per million (ppm) and
is very important to bass, which require a higher DO ppm than most game
fish. Fully saturated water measures about 10 ppm. Bass are stressed at
a DO level of 5, especially in warm water. They do best in water near
saturation levels of 8-9 ppm, especially in water temperatures between
70° and 80°F. This DO requirement is a primary reason largemouth are
often found in water less than 20 feet deep.

Water collects oxygen from exposure to the air and as a byproduct
of photosynthesis by aquatic plants. All lakes have sufficient oxygen
levels in "shallow water" due to the water circulation caused by wind
and the fact that shallow water is where the aquatic plants are. Moving
water is continuously mixing with the air so almost never experiences
low oxygen levels. Aquatic plants also contribute greatly to the
dissolved oxygen of rivers.

Fertility

In fertile lakes, where organic matter is abundant, oxygen is
rapidly consumed, often faster than it can be replaced. Stratification
occurs as plants and animals die and sink to the bottom where they
decompose. This decomposition greatly reduces available oxygen forcing
fish into more shallow areas.

However, the fertility of a lake determines the "load" in pounds
of fish it can maintain. Generally speaking, the higher the fertility
level, the greater the level of organic material that sustains the food
chain and the larger the largemouth population. This general statement
must always be revised in the context of each body of water and its
classification.

Low fertility lakes (oligotrophic) have deep clear water with
ample oxygen even in its deepest areas, are weedless, heavily rock bound
and most often located in the colder region of the Canadian Shield.
These lakes are not good largemouth bass waters though they make good
smallmouth and great trout waters.

Mesotrophic and eutrophic lakes, both more fertile than ologotrophic lakes, are better largemouth bass habitats.

Cover

Largemouth bass are one of the most cover-oriented freshwater
fishes. Throughout their lives cover will play numerous important roles
in largemouth bass habitat.

From birth they associate it as a place to hide from predation.
With age they adopt it as a place from which to ambush their prey or
retreat from the sun.

Cover is anything that is in or on the natural lake, "structure"
is the bottom. A variety of cover types contributes to good largemouth
bass habitat. Cover includes lily pads, grass, logs, brush, docks,
tires, sunken Christmas trees, flooded timber or buildings to name a
few.

Structure

The geological shape of the bottom of a lake or river is its
structure. This includes submerged islands, drop-offs, flats, the all
important points and any change in depth, be it a foot or twenty feet.
Bass relate to structure as reference points guiding daily activities
and for defining their "home" territory. Structure, as does cover,
contributes to the making of good largemouth bass habitat.

Understanding what constitutes good largemouth bass habitat and
the relationship between "cover", "structure" and bass location is
critical if you are to become a successful "structure" fisherman.